Neck bands are a very common complaint among our patients. As we age, gravity and collagen loss can cause the skin on our neck (or under the chin) to droop and sag, which can create horizontal neck bands. Then, vertical neck bands can also appear over time, due to constant overuse of certain neck muscles. Whether you have horizontal or vertical neck bands, these bands can make you look and feel older. So, what can you do to treat neck bands? In this post, we’ll take a closer look at two excellent treatments for neck bands: Botox and Thermitight.
Botox for Vertical Neck Bands
This client before and after shows the dramatic difference Botox (botulinum toxin) can make for vertical neck lines.
We all use our muscles in different ways. And some people just tend to overuse the muscles in their necks, which can make them start to stick out over time. The platysma muscles on the neck are the muscles that tend to create pesky vertical neck bands. Many people unconsciously overuse their platysma muscles in their daily life, which makes these band-like muscles become very prominent over time. Then, some people excessively strain their platysma muscles when they work out, making them bulk up and stick out. Additionally, as we age, the skin on our neck tends to become a bit thinner. Whether you overuse your platysma muscles in your daily life or when working out, the appearance of these overactive muscles can start to become more noticeable with age, simply because the skin covering them has become thinner.
So, how do you get rid of vertical neck bands? Botox is by far the easiest and most effective treatment for overly prominent platysma muscles.
Botox may be best known for its ability to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, but it has many other applications. Botox is currently FDA approved for 11 therapeutic indications, including hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), chronic migraines, limb spasticity, and cervical dystonia, a condition that causes involuntary muscle contractions in the neck.
Botox can treat all these issues due to the unique way it works. Botox is a brand name for an injectable neurotoxin (botulinum toxin) that is able to block nerve signals. Botox injections can be used to stop nerve communication to certain facial muscles, which relaxes them and softens the appearance of wrinkles. Botox can also be used to relax the neck muscles, which is how it can treat things like cervical dystonia– and neck bands.
When Botox injections are applied to the platysma muscles, these muscles relax, reducing their prominence. Botox treatments tend to be very effective at reducing the appearance of vertical neck bands, since Botox addresses their root cause: overactive platysma muscles. When neck bands are relaxed with injections of Botox, the neck can look slimmer, smoother, and younger for around 3 to 4 months after each treatment. If you want to maintain the results of your Botox for neck bands treatment, you can do so with regular 3 to 4 month maintenance sessions.
Thermitight for Horizontal Neck Bands
This before and after shows how Thermitight can lift and tighten skin on the neck, reducing the appearance of horizontal neck bands.
Horizontal neck bands, also called neck lines or neck wrinkles, appear when folds form in loose or sagging skin. Horizontal neck lines can be caused by aging, as our skin will naturally sag over time and start to form horizontal lines or folds along the neck. Horizontal neck bands can also be caused by weight loss, which can leave the skin on the neck loose and sagging.
Thermitight is an excellent treatment for horizontal neck bands, whether they’ve appeared due to aging or weight loss. Thermitight is a non-surgical treatment that uses radiofrequency heat energy to tighten the skin. When this radiofrequency heat energy is applied to the neck, it tightens the skin, melts away excess fat, and stimulates collagen production (which helps to both tighten and smooth the skin). All these effects work together to help the neck look more smooth, lifted, and youthful.
Thermitight is a quick, non-invasive treatment that requires no downtime. You can see the initial results of Thermitight within a few weeks and will see your full results around 3 to 6 months after your treatment. Because Thermitight works in part by stimulating your body’s own collagen production, it takes a bit of time to see your full results. However, the way Thermitight works also makes it long-lasting. Thermitight can lift and tighten the skin on your neck for up to several years after just a single treatment.
Note that while Thermitight is an excellent non-surgical neck lift and tightening treatment, it can also be used on many other parts of the body, so it can treat a variety of cosmetic issues. For example, Thermitight can be used to treat jowls along the jawline, fine lines around the eyes and lips, and loose skin on the abdomen. Click here to learn more about what Thermitight can do.
Interested in trying Botox or Thermitight to treat your neck bands? Contact us today to set up a consultation appointment with Dr. Zadeh.